The story of Sodom and Gomorrah was NOT about homosexuality

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been used by people to condemn gays. The argument used by them is that God destroyed these cities because the people of these cities were homosexuals. It is about time we dispel the myth and lie that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God because of homosexual activity. There is conclusive evidence in the BIBLE that shows Sodom and Gomorrah were NOT destroyed because of homosexuals. The only book I will use to show this is the Bible. Some Christians will go on and quote on how the word "sodomy" was originated from one of the two cities "God" destroyed because of "homosexuality," that is just not the case.

The beginning of this Sodom and Gomorrah story is found in Genesis 13:
Genesis 13:8-13
So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left." Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD. (NIV)
Abraham and Lot were so wealthy that they had to separate because the land could not support both of them with all their family members, herds, and workers in one place Lot chose to move his family to the twin cities.
The next time we hear about these cities is in Genesis 18:16-33. Here God tells Abraham his plan for Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 18:20-21
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know." (NIV)
Abraham pleads for these cities because of his nephew Lot. While Abraham and God were talking, the other two angels go to Sodom. Let's read for ourselves what really happened that day:
Genesis 19:1-13
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square." But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.

Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom both young and old– surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof." "Get out of our way," they replied. And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them." They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door. But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door. The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here–sons-in- law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it." (NIV)
Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 1
There are several major holes in the theory and myth that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality.
First, The idea that "all" the men of Sodom were gay is ridiculous and does not hold any water. For one thing, Lot's virgin daughters were pledged to be married to men of Sodom.

Second, if all the men were homosexuals, why did Lot offer his daughters to appease them? What good would it do to offer a gay man a woman to have sex with?
Finally, these people threatened Lot. If he didn't comply with their wishes they said they would do WORSE to him that to the two visitors. They were also trying to force the door down. They were obviously violent and they were trying to get at two unwilling guests. Whenever you mix sex with violence against an unwilling person you do not have homosexuality, you have RAPE. The key line here is: "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." This clearly shows that they were not going to have consensual sex but rather force themselves which is a sin. Rape is a sin, whether it is homosexual or heterosexual rape.

There is another story in the Bible in which the same thing happened relating to rape and parallels can be drawn with Sodom and Gomorrah:

Judges 19:13-27
He added, "Come, let's try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places." So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them into his home for the night. That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the men of the placewere Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, "Where are you going? Where did you come from?" He answered, "We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the LORD. No one has taken me into his house. We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants– me, your maidservant, and the young man with us. We don't need anything." "You are welcome at my house," the old man said. "Let me supply whatever you need. Only don't spend the night in the square." So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him." The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don't do such a disgraceful thing." But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. (NIV)

Take note of the similarity in the stories. Compare Genesis 19:4-5 with Judges 19:22.
Genesis 19:4-5
Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom– both young and old– surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
Judges 19:22
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him."

Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 2

In the account in Judges the wicked men were appeased with the female concubine. This proves they were not homosexuals. They were after sex for power or rape. If you read further you'll learn that the tribe of Benjamin was almost totally destroyed because of this incident. Neither the tribe of Benjamin nor the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were punished because of homosexuality. Both of these accounts clearly describe rape. What the men of Sodom were going to do to the two angels in Genesis was what the men of Gibeah did to the traveller's concubine in Judges.

Why were Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? What were the grievous sins that God judged them worthy of such destruction? What was the great outcry God was referring to in Genesis chapter 18? We don't need to wonder. The Bible tells us exactly why these cities were destroyed. Let us read further to find out why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed.
Genesis 18:20-21
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know." (NIV)
From Genesis 18: 3-33, Abraham pleads for the lives of the people in the city by starting with "if there were 50 righteous" down to "10" that they should not be destroyed because of the sins of the others. The "Lord" agrees for the sake of 10 but there weren't even 10 in the combined cities.
Here we can clearly see Abraham pleading with God not to destroy the cities if there are "righteous" people. Abraham did not plead with God and said please save the cities if there are "STRAIGHT" or heterosexual people. The theme here is about unrighteous people who have turned away from God and has nothing to do with homosexuality as most would believe.
Ezekiel 16:48-50
As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. "'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. (NIV)

Ezekiel Chapter 16 is an allegory God used to compare unfaithful Jerusalem to an adulterous wife for committing religious adultery. As you can see God listed the sins of Sodom, "She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." Nothing about homosexuality is listed there. Those detestable or abominable acts mentioned refereed to the religious rituals popular in that time.

Further evidence that shows that God didn't destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality, let us read further from the Bible.

Deuteronomy 29:22-26
Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it. The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur– nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in fierce anger.
All the nations will ask: "Why has the LORD done this to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?" And the answer will be: "It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, the covenant he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them. (NIV)

Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 3
Moses was about to die and he predicted the scattering of Israel and the destruction of the land like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This destruction of Israel was not prophesied because of homosexuality but because of religious infidelity. This is quite in line with the context of the entire Bible. You have to remember that God is jealous and will not share centre stage with any other "gods" this has got nothing to do with homosexuality and hence parallels again are drawn between Sodom and Gomorrah with Israel being destroyed.
Amos 4:11
"I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. (NIV)
Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 4
If you read the book of Amos you find that God promises to overthrow Israel as He overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah for three things:
1.turning away from God which is religious unfaithfulness;
2.being evil to the poor; and
3.living selfishly.
Homosexuality is not even addressed. Again this is further evidence in the Bible supporting the idea that Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed because of homosexuality.
Jeremiah 23:13-14
"Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah." (NIV)

Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 5
Here is yet another comparison of the promised judgment of Israel to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Once again the theme is religious unfaithfulness, not homosexuality.
I have provided you Biblical evidence from the Old Testament that clearly shows that the idea Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality is a fallacy and a lie that needs to be debunked. Surely we cannot assume that the account here is Jeremiah is about homosexuality! But rather the two cities were destroyed by God for the following reasons:
1.Arrogance, gluttony and being unconcerned about God (Ezekiel 16:48-50)
2.Detestable or abominable acts which are religious rituals (Ezekiel 16:48-50)
3.Being uncharitable towards strangers (Genesis 19)
4.Hunger for power and rape (Judges 19:22)
5.Turning away from God which is religious unfaithfulness (Amos 4 and Jeremiah 23:13-14)
6.Being evil to the poor and not helping the needy (Amos 4)
7.Living selfishly (Amos 4)

In all of these scriptures above there is constant reference to Sodom and Gomorrah and there is no clear or direct link with homosexuality but rather a link with unrighteous people who have turned away from God.
There is further Biblical evidence in the New Testament that supports the reasons listed above.
Matthew 10:11-15
"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town." (NIV)

Analysis and Interpretation of Scripture 6
Here, Jesus Christ compares the sin of Sodom to the sin of faithlessness in people who reject the Gospel and inhospitality. The inhospitality links back to the story in Genesis where the men of Sodom and Gomorrah were being uncharitable towards the two strangers that were visiting in Lot's home. Why would Jesus make a comparison with Sodom if Sodom and Gomorrah were exclusively about homosexual behaviour? This is because homosexuality is not the issue here once again!

Matthew 11:20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you." (NIV)
Here the Jesus again makes reference to Sodom's destruction as he talks about unrepentant cities that refuse to believe in him or his miracles. This again links back to the theme of religious unfaithfulness and unbelief, not homosexuality as many Christians would believe.
It is fascinating to note that when Jesus was here on earth he NEVER made mention of homosexuality being sinful and unnatural. Jesus taught about many subjects including adultery, prostitution and worshipping false gods etc but he NEVER spoke exclusively about homosexual behaviour being a "capital sin" as most conservative Christians would believe. Also if homosexuality was a capital sin as many air head conservative Christians suggests it would have made it in the 10 Commandments that God gave to Moses. Instead an issue such as adultery made it in the 10 Commandments which most heterosexuals believe as an "acceptable" sin compared to homosexuality in their eyes.
If you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you can know him right now. Don't be guilty of not believing in Him. Here is what Jesus himself said:
John 3:16-18
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (NIV)

Notice that Jesus said WHOEVER believes in him shall have eternal life. The condemnation is reserved for WHOEVER does not believe in Him. He made no mention of condemnation being for homosexuals in this passage.

If the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was exclusively about homosexuality why is it being mentioned in several scriptures in Bible including the NEW TESTAMENT by Jesus? Surely we cannot assume that every time Sodom and Gomorrah is mentioned in the Bible there is a direct link with homosexuality. So why do many Christians always make is sound as if homosexuality is a capital sin therefore God had to destroy the two cities? The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been a perpetuated lie to persecute homosexuals when God was simply drawing us to  the attention that if people are unrighteous and turn away from Him, he will punish them. As seen from the book of Genesis, the RAPE of the two men who came to visit Lot was the sin committed in Sodom and Gomorrah and not homosexuality. RAPE is a disgusting sin whether committed by a homosexual or a heterosexual!

Genesis 19:4-5
Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom– both young and old– surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."

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Cameron is an auditor by profession and a political animal by passion. He is also a gay rights activist and a social media junkie.
He holds a BCom (Hons) degree from the University of Pretoria and a Master of Commerce degree from the University of Johannesburg. In his professional life as an auditor he has worked with some of the largest private corporations including banks, insurance companies, NGOs, parastatal organisations and government. He is a product of one of the "Big 4 Audit" multinational organization. When he got married in early 2013, he became an international icon to the gay community by making history when he had the first-ever traditional gay wedding in African Culture on the world stage. He writes in his own personal capacity on a wide variety of issues like the economy, relationships and gay related matters. His favourite quote is by Anais Nin "The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say." His favourite book is "The Velvet Rage" by Alan Downs.
Follow him on Twitter: @CamModisane